Mystery Date
by amythis
Summary: Sam has a mysterious new boyfriend. Set during Season Eight. (Note, I'm not sure I'll finish this, since I'm working on several stories simultaneously, but I dreamed the idea and wanted to at least get the beginning down.)
1. The Mystery

"I need you two to do a little detectivework for me," Tony said in the kitchen over breakfast, after Jonathan left for school.

"Oh, goody!" Mother exclaimed. She was not being sarcastic. Not only is she a snoop, but she loves mysteries. She once came up with a theory about Tony's "kept woman" in Brooklyn, when all he was keeping was his late father's apartment. And she's done a couple dinner mysteries and she loves detective novels as much as bodice-rippers.

"What's this about, Tony?" I asked, hoping he wasn't going to send us off on a wild goose chase and make us late for the train.

"Well, Sam has a new boyfriend."

Mother and I looked at each other and tried not to laugh.

"No, hear me out. She's being very secretive about him."

"Then how do you know he exists?" Mother asked.

Tony reached into his jeans pocket and took out a paper towel. He read aloud, using a falsetto, " 'Oh, hi. Please don't call me here. Yeah, me, too. OK, I will.' "

"You eavesdropped?" I said, a moment before Mother said, "What does that prove?"

"Yesterday afternoon, I was cleaning in the hallway near Angela's office when the phone rang. I was about to get it when Sam answered in the living room. She was over here to do her laundry."

Mother made an impatient gesture, I think more for Tony to get to the good stuff than because she was worried about our train.

"You not only eavesdropped but you started writing down what she said?" I asked in disbelief. Even for an overprotective Italian father, this was crossing a line.

"I couldn't help overhearing. And I wrote it down later because I was suspicious."

"Hm, he might have a point about it being suspicious, especially the 'please don't call me here' part," Mother admitted. "But there might be lots of people Sam doesn't want callng her here. What makes you think it's a boyfriend?"

"The 'Yeah, me, too' part. Like he said, 'I love you,' and she said 'Yeah, me, too.' "

"Look, Tone, I'm always happy to find signs of romance, but there are lots of things this could be," Mother said.

"You didn't hear how she said it."

"Read it again, in your falsetto."

He cleared his throat.

I said, "Tony, getting past the fact that you eavesdropped, deliberately or not, Sam probably, for whatever reason, does not want you to know about this person she spoke to."

"I know, and it's driving me crazy!"

I thought of how he had become obsessed with solving the Christopher mystery over a year ago, and I wasn't even hiding Christopher. It was that Tony kept just missing seeing my new boyfriend, whom everyone else in the family was charmed by.

"What do you want us to do about it?" Mother asked.

"Snoop around. Trick her into talking about him."

"Oh, goody!"

"We'll invite her to lunch," I said, trying to compromise between my fiancé's obsessiveness and my step-daughter-to-be's privacy. "If she feels comfortable talking about this person and their situation, then I'll find out what I can, as long as she doesn't swear us to secrecy."

"Angela, where is your loyalty?" Tony looked shocked.

"I'm loyal to Sam, too. And she's not going to confide in me if I betray her trust."

"What if she or this guy is involved in something illegal?" Tony asked.

"Then I'll contact the police immediately," I said sarcastically. But it did make me wonder what I would do. Well, I'd have to see what Sam admitted and whether it was an ongoing thing.

"Don't worry, Tone," Mother stage-whispered. "I'll trick Sam into spilling her guts."

I rolled my eyes. "Come on, Mother, we've got a train to catch."

I did kiss Tony goodbye and wish him luck on his History test but I didn't make any more promises.

Mother and I discussed it more on the way to the station and then on the train. We agreed that this might be nothing but we were curious. She said she would call Sam from the office and see if she could meet us in the city for lunch today or tomorrow.

Sam was free so Mother made a reservation for three at noon at Un Repas Léger, where I take my favorite clients. It's light French cuisine, with booths that are far enough apart that conversations are relatively private, which is good for some of the financial discussions I have there. I doubt we'll be talking about money with Sam, but I will admit that anything is possible. What if the mystery person on the other end of the line was a loan shark? No, I'm being as ridiculous as Tony.

Sam gets there shortly after we do, apologizing for her lateness. I haven't seen her for a few days, but she looks fine. Happy, not tortured by a secret love life, but not giddy either. Normal I guess.

We order and she thanks me for treating her. We small talk and when the food comes she asks how things are going at the agency. I am going through a bit of a slump, partly due to the recession, but I'm trying to stay positive.

"Is that what you wanted to talk to me about?" she asks. "Maybe I could help out at the agency."

She did work for me a couple times, but that was before she was in college and had jobs in Fairfield.

"Thank you, Sweetie, I appreciate that, but it's not necessary."

"We want to hear all about your mystery man!" Mother blurts out.

"Mother," I sigh.

"What do you know?" Sam asks. So there is something going on.

Mother takes out her steno pad from her purse and reads aloud, " 'Oh, hi. Please don't call me here. Yeah, me, too. OK, I will.' "

I look at her in surprise. "You took notes at breakfast?"

"I wrote it down later, from memory."

"What happened at breakfast?" Sam asks. "Oh, never mind. Dad must've eavesdropped and told you two."

"He did, Sweetie, but if you tell us anything, we won't tell Tony if you don't want us to. It's just he worries about you."

"And he hates being left out of things," Mother adds.

Sam sighs. "Well, I guess I couldn't keep this a secret forever. Do you really want to know what's going on?"

"Dish, Girl!" Mother says eagerly.

I'm trying to be more mature about it, but I'm of course curious. "Go ahead, Sam."

"Well, we met in New York..."


	2. Some Theories

I did OK on my History test, even though I obviously was distracted. History is my best subject and it'll probably be what I end up teaching once I get my degree in a few months. Yeah, sometimes it seems unreal that I, Tony Micelli the jock from Brooklyn, is going to become a teacher. But teaching and education are some of what have most fascinated me in the years since I moved to Fairfield. It's partly Angela's influence (and, yeah, she and a lot of her world have fascinated me, too), but it's also seeing how going to good schools has changed Sam's life around.

And now she's 19 and has a bright future, even if she hasn't definitely decided what she wants to be when she grows up. That's OK, she's got time. When I was her age, I was already married and thought I was going to play baseball into my 40s. My shoulder injury changed that future before I hit 30.

I worry about Sam as much as ever. Yeah, she's an adult and Angela has always encouraged me to let her grow up, make her own decisions, but it doesn't get any easier. I mean, I am Italian, and from a family where things like arranged marriages aren't that long ago. My grandfather arranged a marriage for my mother. He didn't encourage her to go to college. Plus, Sam is an only child. Yeah, Jonathan is like a son to me, and soon will be my stepson, but it's Sam who's gotten most of my parenting focus. Also, Jonathan just hasn't put us through as much worry and drama as Sam has.

And now Sam has this mystery guy who's calling the house, even though she lives in the dorms. And she doesn't want him calling here but he did anyway. At least that once that I know about, but who knows how often besides yesterday?

Why is she keeping him secret? She's never really done that before. OK, yeah, there was Matt the summer before last, but that was in New Mexico. If this guy is in Connecticut, why haven't I heard about him, I mean from her?

What's wrong with him? Is he married? Older? A criminal? I don't think it's something simple like he's not Italian or Catholic, because neither was Chad McCann and all those other guys. I'm not that traditional!

Maybe he has an embarrassing job. Nothing illegal but something she doesn't want me to know about. Like he's a professional clown or a puppeteer or something. Obviously, I would rather she date a guy in law school or med school, but as long as it's good, honest work, I think I would accept him. OK, I wasn't crazy about Fred, but she still brought that weirdo to the house, and even took him along on the family's anniversary trip to the carnival. Oh God, is this guy crazier than Fred?

Angela thinks it's nothing, that the guy on the phone wasn't Sam's boyfriend and I have nothing to worry about. I don't know if Mona is on my side, but I figured she'd at least enjoy snooping. And she's the one that was most able to talk sense to Sam about Matt, get her to compromise about being engaged in New Mexico and instead have a long-distance relationship, which of course fizzled out.

What if this guy isn't in Connecticut? For all I know, she met someone when we went to check out the winery I inherited, and they've been secretly calling and writing all this time. Which would mean he is Italian and probably Catholic. Oh, the irony! And she doesn't want me to know because she thinks I'd worry about such a long-distance relationship. Or maybe she's waiting until he can afford to visit America and he'll just show up on our doorstep one day. "Hi, Dad, I'd like you to meet Lorenzo." Or whatever.

Or, oh no, what if it's one of our relatives? No wonder she doesn't want me to know! It could be one she'd never met before and fell for without my noticing. What if it's Maurizio? They did meet four years ago and the age difference wouldn't matter as much now. He'd be what, 24? He didn't seem to notice her then, since he was infatuated with Angela, but maybe he noticed last year. Let's see, he's Aunt Rosa's grandson, so that makes him my first cousin once removed, Sam's second cousin. Too close, too close! If she fell for maybe a fourth cousin, I guess I could live with that.

What if Mona's right that this isn't necessarily a boyfriend? Well, Sam is still keeping secrets from me, and I don't like that. I hope Angela and Mona find out something at lunch today, something they'll tell me. If not, I don't know what I'll do. Maybe I'll see if Julia or Bonnie knows anything, although Sam hasn't been keeping in touch with her old friends as much since she graduated a year early.

I think I'll make Sam's favorite cookies. I can take them to her at the dorm if she doesn't drop by in the next couple days. If that doesn't get her to talk, I'll have to try something really sneaky.

I've gathered the ingredients when the phone rings. I grab the wall phone after the first ring but I don't immediately say anything. It's partly that I don't know what to say— "Bower residence" feels inadequate these days anyway— and partly that if this is the mystery man, I don't want him to know it's not Sam.

I almost drop the phone when I hear a British accent saying, "Listen, Sammers, I'm sorry about yesterday."

I know I should let him talk and incriminate himself but I reply automatically, "Sammers isn't here."

"Oh, er, sorry, wrong number."

"Wait a minute, you are not hanging up on me!" I know I can't do anything to stop him, but maybe some of my Italian-fatherliness will come through on the telephone.

"Mr. Micelli, I don't want to take up your time."

Aha! It worked! Now I just have to reel him in.


	3. Some Evidence

"Well, we met in New York, through Pierce Franklin."

"The stockbroker hottie?"

I roll my eyes at Mother, while Sam chuckles. "Yeah. Pierce and I realized that we don't work as a couple because we argue too much, but we've learned to be friends. We had lunch in the city a couple months ago. Here actually." She looks around the posh French restaurant.

"I hope Pierce paid for it," Mother says.

"No, he didn't."

"That fink! Sticking you with the check."

"He didn't. Ian paid."

"Is Ian the man who called the house?" I ask.

"Yeah. Pierce asked if I minded a client meeting us here halfway through, so that way it would be a tax write-off, but Ian insisted on paying."

"Hm, generous and rich. I like."

"Mother." I'll admit that lunch for three isn't cheap at Un Repas Léger, but that doesn't necessarily make Ian rich. On the other hand, it's clear he's not a struggling college student. Is he older than Sam? If so, how much? That might be reason enough for her to try to hide him from Tony. Pierce was, what, 27? So this guy might be 30. Or older?! OK, calm down, Angela, don't be like Tony. "So, Sam, what does Ian do for a living?"

"He's at university, studying European History."

Mother and I exchange glances and she gives a slight nod, indicating that I should do the follow-up question and she'll save pouncing for when it's necessary.

"How nice. He'll have a lot to talk to Tony about."

Sam shakes her head. "I am not letting Dad ruin this relationship."

"Sam, be realistic. You know your father is going to try very hard to meet Ian, or go crazy trying."

"Then let him go crazy."

"Why don't you want Tony to meet Ian?"

"Is it because Ian is British?"

She stares at my mother. "How did you know that?"

" 'At university.' "

"Oh, right. I start talking like him sometimes."

"Putting U into 'or'?" Mother suggests.

"Yeah. Oh, and it's really pronounced like 'ee-on.' And spelled E-I-O-N."

"I thought that was pronounced like 'Owen,' " I say.

"No, that's E-O-I-N. His twin brother is named Eoin."

"So he's British and a twin?"

"And he spells his name funny," Mother adds.

"Are you afraid Tony's going to make fun of him for these reasons?"

"Yeah, but it's mostly that Eion is, well, who he is."

"Who is he?" Mother asks eagerly.

Sam mumbles something.

"Speak up, Girl," Mother orders.

Sam sighs. "He's a baron and 100th in line for the British throne."

I drop my fork on the floor. Mother stares at Sam silently and then cackles like a mad witch.

When she quiets down, she says, "No, really, who is he?"

Sam sighs again. "The tenth Baron of Llangrannog."

Mother asks, "How do you spell that?"

Sam pauses as if trying to remember. "Um, double-L-A-N-G-R-A-double-N-O-G."

"Is that Welsh?" I ask.

"Yeah. It's a beautiful part of the Welsh coast."

"You've been there?" Mother asks with wide blue eyes.

Sam shakes her head. "Not yet. But I've seen pictures."

"Has he asked you to go?" I ask softly.

Sam sighs. "Sort of. We haven't been dating that long of course, but if things work out, then, yeah, I could visit him next summer."

"Sam, you really do need to tell your father," I say.

"Do I have to?"

"He's going to snoop around if you don't."

"And he's going to expect a full report from us." So much for Mother's spying abilities, or maybe she's a double agent.

"I know. It's just, well, you know what Dad's like. Even when there's nothing wrong with one of my boyfriends, he finds something to object to. And, well, there's a lot to object to here, or at least for him to question."

I can't argue with that, especially since the waiter comes over with a clean fork.

"Merci," I say as I take it, then I wait for him to leave before I tell Sam, "You're right but you still need to talk to him. And maybe give Eion a head's up so he's not caught off guard when he meets Tony."

"Does he have to meet Dad?"

"If you go off to Wales this summer, Tony is probably going to want to go along as chaperone."

She winces. "Couldn't Mona be my chaperone?"

"Will Eion take us on a shopping trip at Harrods?"

"Hold on, you two. Sam, is there any chance that Tony could meet Eion? I mean, how often does he visit the U.S.?" If he's a student at a British university, I can't see him coming over to America that often. On the other hand, why does he have an American stockbroker?

"About once a month. Um, he's in town right now, at the Ritz-Carlton."

"Oh, so that's why you were late meeting us!" Mother exclaims.

Sam blushes a little but says, "I did stop by to see him but he wasn't in. I'll try again after lunch. I haven't seen him since his last visit."

"At the Ritz?" Mother asks.

Sam blushes more but says, "No, we're taking it slow. Because it's long-distance."

"Sam, I'm glad you're not rushing into things."

"Like usual," Mother has to interject. She's right. Not that Sam rushes physically—I'm pretty sure she's still a virgin—but she does rush emotionally.

"But with Eion at university— which university by the way?"

"Oxford."  
I can't help sighing, "Oxford!" OK, maybe he got in there because he's rich and noble, but I'm still impressed.

"Yeah, he's in his fourth year. He's 21."

So, older but not significantly.

"Twenty-one and already a baron?" That's what impresses Mother.

"Yeah, his dad died when Eion was little but he's only recently come into his inheritance."

"I feel sorry for Eoin. Only a few minutes younger and not a baron. And only 101st in line for the throne."

I shake my head and signal the waiter for the check. There's a lot more I need to talk to Sam about but Mother and I do need to get back to work. I have a three o'clock meeting with a client that I have to prepare for. Hopefully, I won't be too distracted by Sam's love life.


End file.
